Perdue Foods say they say they are renewing their focus on chicken care. It’s good news and a good start.
The firm based in Salisbury recently announced a four-part plan which focuses on chickens’ wants and needs, including a commitment to install windows in chicken houses (their health and activity is severely limited in enclosed housing). The plan also intends to improve transparency and relationships with farmers, which will include connecting animal care to pay and incentives. Who doesn’t love money?
The company is also attempting to address growth rates. If an animal grows too big or too quickly, it can cause serious discomfort, pain, and even death. Perdue plans to study play and activity with the goal of doubling chickens’ activity in the next three years. They also plan to expand controlled atmosphere stunning (which uses gas to render birds unconscious before slaughter) from one harvest plant to two by the end of 2017, and then to all harvest facilities.
From WBOC:
“As we continue to learn about innovative and better ways to raise animals through our No Antibiotics Ever journey and our experience in raising organic chickens, we are adopting a four-part plan which will result in changing how we raise chickens,” said Chairman Jim Perdue. “Transparency is very important to Perdue consumers, who are interested knowing how we raise, care for and harvest our chickens.”
It is my sincere hope that if people choose to eat meat, that they will consider purchasing from local organic farmers as I urge my relatives to do on a regular basis.
This is a video about Perdue chickens from 2014. So again, while this is good news, more needs to be done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE9l94b3x9U
Source: WBOC 16
